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XPN2 - Jingle Jams

24/7 Musical discovery. A unique mix of emerging and heritage blues, rock, world, folk, and alt-country artists.
Jingle Jams. An eclectic assortment of holiday tunes, from the new and quirky to the classic.

July 3, 2009Chairlift at the World Cafe Live

This week, Free at Noon brings a retro vibe to Philadelphia, as
the electronic indie trio Chairlift comes to town. Hailing from Colorado, Caroline Polachek, Aaron Pfenning, and Patrick
Wimberly formed the band in 2005 with the intention of creating music
for haunted houses. Chairlift earned early success by performing
around the University of Colorado, bringing a semi-serious brand of
New Wave-style dance punk to local audiences. Their act caught on, and
the band recorded the EP Daylight Savings in 2007.

Realizing their potential, Chairlift changed plans and moved to
Brooklyn, performing with other indie up-and-comers like MGMT and
Yeasayer. The group signed with Kanine Records in 2007, releasing
their album Does You Inspire You? a year later.
Chairlift found widespread acclaim that same year when its song
"Bruises" was featured in one of Apple's tastemaking iPod commercials.
The ad brought instant attention. They were mentioned by everyone from
the New York Times to Perez Hilton.

Does You Inspire You? features hauntingly danceable melodies coupled
with Polachek's airy vocals. Tracks like "Earwig Town" demonstrate the
band's ability to switch genres, while the aforementioned "Bruises"
displays the band's playful side. Chairlift pays homage to its
predecessors without sound tired, pulling off a retro feel with a
uniqueness and sincerity that makes this a hard group to resist.

Bring your dancing shoes and legwarmers. This Friday's Free at Noon
promises to be an old-school party.